Extra Napkins
by chiropteranpudding
Summary: Someone interrupts Ayato during the middle of his meal. Witty banter ensues. Set sometime after the fall of Anteiku.
1. Pests

Set someone after the fall of Anteiku. There wasn't enough satisfying fics about Ayato and Hinami, so I did a little soul-searching and came up with this. Enjoy, hopefully.

* * *

The sun was long below the Tokyo skyline, and I knew it was my time. I was languid in the way I moved, my feet kicking off of one brick wall to the next, launching my body from one side of the slowing yet bustling street. My eager dark blue eyes scanned from one dark face to another, zeroing in on one man in particular before letting my feet hit the ground for the first time since I left my apartment that evening.

The man was alone. Ideal.

I felt my lips turn up on either side into a starved grin, my tongue quickly darting out to catch a stray pool of drool from the corner of my mouth. It's true what they say, a ghoul's hunger is hell.

It was a shame that I couldn't find a woman to snack on... females tasted better, seasoned almost. But I hadn't eaten in days, and my blood-deprived tongue was more than desperate. This guy would have to do for now.

I sprung forward like a crossbow arrow, form blurred and pixelated, sneakers smacking the pavement in seemingly millisecond intervals. All dark blue hair and outstretched arms and ringing ears. I didn't even bother letting out my kagune, he was just a weak human, after all.

The guy didn't even have a chance to blink before my hungry arms roped around his body and dragged him into an alleyway. Other than mopeds zipping by, the only sound was the man's sharp inhale as my clean hands hurriedly cupped his jaw and yanked it sideways at an angle, snapping his neck with one quick pop. Grinning, I slammed his body against the filthy stained concrete before dropping to my knees, ogling at his twitching body with an all-too-familiar carnality.

My fingers tore at his button-down shirt, ripping it open and flinging it to the side. Damn things are always in the way.

The flesh of his chest was like butter, my teeth sinking into the meat without too much effort. My tongue lapped at the blood, drinking it in and gulping loudly. The warm liquid was staining the lower half of my face. I mentally asked an imaginary waiter for extra napkins, snorting a laugh into the warm flesh of my meal.

I'd never been a quiet eater, never had the time to be. Impatiently, I dug down and farther with my fingers and gripped in between the ribs, prying them apart and reveling in the lengthy, muted crack. Ah, the good stuff... this guy even kept it nice and warm for me.

I loudly pushed my face into the chest cavity, taking rubbery pieces of insides between my teeth and nearly swallowing the mouthfuls whole. God, I was starving. After I carved everything, I ripped out the spinal cord with a small little smile. It's been my favorite part for as long as I can remember. Crunching the vertebrae between my teeth, I sucked on the cord inside, closing my eyes in pleasure. Now, this is what I was waiting for.

"Ayato-kun?" a soft voice called out to me. I stiffened, dropping the meat in my hands and propelling myself up onto my feet in a flash of movement. My kakugan squinted into the darkness as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand sloppily. "It's me."

Ah.

"What the hell do you want, Hinami?" I barked, sucking the blood off of my fingers. She walked closer, until I could see her properly.

"I need a favor, but it can wait until you're done," she said, rubbing her hands together. What, does she just assume that I'll always do things for her? I don't think so.

"Sheesh, did you even ask?" I snapped. Damn brat. She raised an eyebrow at me, smirking silently. I looked down at my meal and sighed. "Fine. What is it?" I grumbled. She smiled, her cheeks bubbling up. God, she's such a kid.

"I needed some help... carrying food home..." she trailed off, staring down at her leather boot-clad feet.

"Christ, Hinami. You've carried a body before," I groaned. "Why'd you have to interrupt my goddamn eating for something you can do yourself..." I mumbled quietly to myself, gazing longingly at the man on the ground. Damn, he's going to get cold...

"I, um... don't like to go by myself."

My eyes rolled. "Jesus."

She stared at me for a second. "N-nevermind, I'll just go wake up Yomo-san," Her face was awfully red. "I'm sorry." She bowed quickly and was already striding her way out of the alley.

Well, shit.

"...Hinami, just hold up for one damn second," my voice barked at her curtly.

She froze in her tracks, looking over her shoulder at me slowly with hesitant brown doe eyes. I sighed.

"I was done anyway," my voice lied, softer this time around. Christ, those eyes always get me. Damn it, damn it straight to hell.

"Thanks," her voice called out softly, her hands clasping together in front of her chest. I grunted in response, which made her smile just a little.

"So, the cliff, or what?" I questioned, referring to wherever she was getting a body from. This girl certainly did still have a taste for suicides. Huh.

"Ah, yeah," she answered, looking around at the dirty pavement before her eyes zeroed in on me. My eyes narrowed. "Ayato-kun?" she gestured to my face, and my hand quickly shot up to touch the blood that had settled there. "You have a little something."

"Yeah, yeah." My hands shooed the comment away with a waving gesture. Her lips let out a dainty, low little giggle.

"Might want to stop by your apartment before we go. Wash up a little," she teased.

"Funny," I deadpanned, grimacing at her with my orange-tinted, blood-stained teeth.

She spun around and started sauntering out of the alleyway, and my eyes rolled as I reluctantly followed her. I grumbled as I turned to the side on the way out and kicked what was left of the man I'd began to eat. My eyes bore into Hinami's back, continuing down until I noticed her jeans and the delicate curve of her bottom. I found myself smirking as her hips swayed back and forth in the way that only she could.

Christ, she had the nicest ass of any pest that I've ever met.

I smiled, just faintly.

* * *

May or may not continue, depending on requests or personal motivation. We'll see.


	2. Roadkill

"...You don't lock your apartment?"

"Don't have a reason to," I snapped to Hinami, opening the door and stepping inside. Jesus, this girl was always full of stupid questions.

"Hm," was all she said, frowning.

My fingers felt the wall for the light switch, flipping it up before watching the lights illuminate the adequate little apartment. "Hurry up." I waved impatiently with my hand for Hinami to come on in, rolling my eyes. She smiled and strolled inside, her hands clasped together behind her, and I pushed the door shut with a muffled _click._ She started to slide her boots off.

"Don't take your shoes off," I muttered to her. "S'not like we're gonna' be here for long." She took them off anyway. I scowled.

Stubborn brat.

"It's fine." She waved her hand, dismissing my comment. Standing up straight, she peered around the apartment with curious eyes. The nearly empty living room with a small television resting haphazardly on a wooden chair, another chair sitting a few feet in front of the TV, and a trashcan directly next to that. Crushed coffee drink cans fanned out around that short waste bin, evidently there from all the times that I'd thrown garbage and missed. Other than that little set-up and clothes here and there, the place was mostly empty.

I grunted to her. "I'll be back out in a minute." My feet started padding towards the other room: my bedroom. Or, rather, a room with a mattress on the floor. "Don't touch anything." I glared at her over my shoulder, watching her nod shortly. My fingers were already taking off my blood-stained dark sweatshirt before I pushed open the bedroom door, slamming it shut loudly and pulling my shirt over my head, throwing it somewhere on the floor. I turned the sink on in the adjoined bathroom, washing the now-dried blood off my hands, continuing on to my face. My eyes scanned myself in the mirror. The dripping tips of my bangs, narrowed blue eyes, newly-clean hands, pale stomach, and the tops of my worn black pants. I sighed, watching my chest expand a little.

Walking back out to my room, I whipped a plain black shirt and sweatshirt off of the floor and tugged them over my head. Opening the bedroom door… I was very surprised to glance into the living room and see a scrambling Hinami, picking cans up in her hands and into a stray plastic shopping bag. What, does she think I won't do it myself eventually?

I grunted in her general direction, and her head whipped around

"Goodness, you scared me!" She squeaked, placing her hand over her heart with wide brown eyes.

_"Oi._ Didn't I say _not_ to touch my shit?" I bellowed quietly, leaning against the crumby doorframe, my eyes becoming slits as she smiled at me and continued to pick up the garbage.

"Mhmm, but since you're helping me out, I thought I might clean up a little bit…" She tied the handles of the plastic grocery bag together, sealing the cans inside with clanks that only tin cans could make.

"What, so you think you're my maid now or something?"

"No, I just-"

"Good. I _wouldn't_ tip you."

She laughed. Damn, it was a sort of laugh that made even me smirk a little.

"I wouldn't expect you to, anyway," she teased, moving to place the bag of garbage to the door and start to slide her feet back into her boots. "Shall we go?"

* * *

We both stared down at the dead man. A sickly white color had settled on his scruffy face, his limbs arranged in odd places. Pieces of his scalp were torn away in strips, cream-colored bone peeking out through patches of his dark hair.

Bastard must've fallen headfirst. Bloody brain matter was making a special appearance, too. Truly, the cherry on top of this cadaver sundae.

"You have good taste, Hinami," I chimed up sarcastically, kicking the body's hip.

"Shut up and help me, Ayato."

"I don't even get an _Ayato-kun?"_ I challenged, mimicked her high voice towards the end with a sour grimace. She didn't reply, just stripped the body down to the underwear and braced her foot on the body's torso, yanking on the arm. The shoulder made a pleasantly sickening pop, dislocating as she tore it off and stuffed it into the oversized duffel bag that she'd brought with.

Well, damn. Girl had guts.

"Hmph. You're not as weak as you look, Hinami," I said, bending down to grab ahold of the chilled leg. I snapped it and tore it off with a few jerky movements. Humans could be like butter, if you got your hands on them at the right times. I couldn't help but lick my lips as I stuck the meaty leg into the duffel as well.

"I know." She grunted quietly as she tore off the other arm. "Poker face," she added, smiling. I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows at this, yanking off the other leg and putting it away.

"I bet."

We worked together to get the rest of the body into the duffel bag before we lifted it up.

"Jesus, at _least_ hold your own weight, you _brat,"_ I uttered to her.

"I…_am!"_ She protested, squeaking as we began to carry the duffel by the handles. We trekked up to where we'd parked my car. She giggled as I attempted to fish for my car keys in order to pop the trunk, juggling the bag a bit.

"Tch," I hissed. "Shut the hell up."

She continued to smile. Somehow, I didn't hate it.

We finished pushing the bag in and closed the trunk, climbing inside the front of the car. My fingers turned the key into the ignition and the engine purred to life.

"Thanks again… Ayato-kun." She spoke softly, folding her dirty hands in her lap. Her ochre-colored hair was windblown and the apples of her cheeks were as rosy as always. Her skin looked soft.

Even with a smear of blood on her brow, I knew she wasn't ugly.

"S'fine," I mumbled lowly, turning to look straight ahead before shifting the gear to drive. I swallowed before pulling my mouth into a grimace. "Don't get shit on my seats."

"I won't," she muttered. Her voice sounded small. I looked ahead.

"After that roadkill, you sure as hell need a shower." I spat quietly, pressing my foot down on the gas pedal.

"Shut up," Hinami huffed at me for the umpteenth time that night.

"No." I was smirking, just a little.

_"Jerk."_

"Gotta' be."

And then we were off of the dirt roads and back into Tokyo. As I drove, mostly, I thought of how silky her skin looked as she'd split the joints from the corpse's shoulders a little earlier that night.

I could've watched her do that all night long. Hell, I'd sit back with some popcorn, if my stomach could manage to keep it down. She wasn't that hard to pay attention to.

_Christ,_ she was a damn pain in my ass.

* * *

Chapter 3 will probably be uploaded soon, within the next couple of days. Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Mud

There, towering and dark other than the occasional light peeking through modest window curtains, was Hinami's apartment building. It wasn't far from mine, only a few miles or so. I steered over to the curb, put the car in park, turned off the ignition, and let the headlights blink off.

"Here." I spoke curtly, turning to her. "Now grab your shit and get the hell out."

Her head spun sideways, nice and slow, to glare at me. It definitely wasn't the first time I'd seen that calm yet furious look; her pupils were large, it made her tawny brown eyes look dark. Like wet mud.

Wet, seething mud.

I popped the trunk pointedly, letting it swing up and gradually open with a _hisssss. _

I glared daggers right back. It was silent.

"Do you ever _not_ act like a bitter little child?" she said quietly. Her mouth was set apart, her lips separating just enough to let me know that she was irritated. My jaw clenched.

Well, _hell._ Roadkill-eating, spoiled little brat.

"Says the girl who can't even collect her own _trash." _I spoke icily.

"_At least I pick up mine!" _she shot back, assumedly referring to the cans in my apartment. Her eyes were wide with anger.

I couldn't even manage to argue with her anymore, let alone look at her. My kagune were threatening to come out. When the hell would she learn to mind her own damn business instead of invading _mine? _

"You're _infuriating!"_ She was yelling now.

I faced ahead with stoic eyes, shutting them when she spoke again.

"Yeah, give the cold shoulder, like you always do."

"_Eat shit." _I barked defensively.

It was silent for a long time after that. Even with my eyes closed, I could hear her open the passenger-side door and climb out, shutting it quietly. There was rustling coming from the trunk.

Jesus.

Before I knew it, I was storming out of the car.

"Who's giving the cold shoulder _now?!"_ I knew I was shouting, but I didn't care if I woke up some witchy old hag in 4B, or whatever. "You're a _hypocrite!"_

When I slammed the car door and stomped around to the trunk, her face was hidden by her hair.

"_...Come on. Come on, come on..." _she was whispering to herself, beyond irritation. She couldn't lift the heavy bag out without getting caught on the lip of the trunk.

"Just move." My arms elbowed her out of the way, grunting as I lifted the duffel. It seemed a lot lighter than before, but it was probably because the brat had made me so angry. She was silent. I slung the strap of the bag over my shoulder, stepping up the curb and onto the lot's pavement, wobbling a little from the weight of the man's body I was carrying. There were a lot of paved paths ahead of me, all leading to personal little doors with numbers on them.

I grunted over my shoulder, walking ahead of her. "Which one is yours?"

"Just go. I can carry that in myself." Hinami's voice was quiet and annoyed. She shut the trunk.

"Just spit the room number out already." The exertion of carrying the bag was somehow easing my frustration.

But only slightly.

Her short figure stormed ahead of me, leading the way. Albeit, angrily.

Her body turned around once she got to her door. "Just give me the bag and go." She wouldn't meet my eyes, her jaw was set rigidly. Rolling my eyes, I slung the bag from my shoulder and let it slump onto the ground, scowling.

"Finally," I said sarcastically.

"Ayato, why are you so cold?" Her voice was accusing.

Well, sure wasn't expecting _that_.

My eyebrows rose, and she met my eyes for the first time since getting out of the car.

"I am_ not_ cold."

"_Yes._ You are."

"_Am not."_

"Are too." Her face was flushed a rosy shade of pink, pieces of chestnut-colored hair had fallen against her forehead, and her arms were crossed defiantly.

"You know, I don't need this shit!" I roared, eyes wide and arms flying up and foot winding back to kick the duffel bag in front of me. It made a sickening, thudding, squishing sound.

"_Don't kick my food!"_ Hinami's scream was high-pitched, her full lips parting just enough to see her ivory-colored teeth grind together. This was becoming a game, now. I contemplated whether or not her newly-presented kakugan would bulge out of her head.

"You mean your trash?" I shot back, smirking when she huffed exasperatedly.

"_You're_ trash!"

Damn it to hell.

My feet moved fast, one hand resting against her cheek and the other cupping just under her jaw. I didn't really look at her, just ducked down to kiss her. Not soft, but not really hard, either. Pulling away every few seconds to pant warm breath on her lips before going back in again. Her mouth was very still.

But... boy, I sure as hell was not expecting the sting of her shaky palm smacking my cheek.

"You're such an idiot." She said after a few seconds, her voice low. Her face was close. With my hands that were still resting on her face, I let my thumb feather just barely across the very peak of her cheekbone. She was warm. The anger was sprinkling away, evaporating and steaming off into the dark.

Until she gulped. Loudly.

"I'm going to kiss you again," I warned, voice barely above a whisper. There in front of her apartment's white door with a duffel bag of dismantled body parts near our feet, I leaned in an inch to peck her lips. Once, twice, three times.

She stood still and let me kiss her.

The brat didn't slap me this time.

* * *

Trying to decide whether to continue, I might just stop here. I like feedback!

*wiggles eyebrows*


	4. Headache

_"Brat," _I murmured, holding Hinami in place. Not like I had to... she was awfully still. Our eyes were wide and looking straight ahead, mere inches from each other. I can't remember the last time she blinked.

Should... we _close our eyes?_ Hell, I don't know, I don't do this shit.

Her eyes looked a lot different this close up, dark and massive. Fawn-colored, like the fur of a deer. That was her expression. Startled. As if she were a fawn, doe eyes and all, ambling across a rush-hour highway, staring right at the grate of a semi. A dark-clothed, blue-eyed, _bitter _semi. She finally blinked.

All the sudden, the doe-eyes were gone. Her back was to me and her longer hair was fanned out across the back of her coat and her fingers were digging her key out of the front pocket of her jeans, jamming it into the lock and charging through the door. I was left standing there, disoriented and confused on her porch, staring at the still swung-upon front door of her apartment. With a dismantled, gooey mess of a waterproof duffel bag seeing eye-to-eye with my sneakers. And yet, my cheeks felt warm.

My head was swimming in questions, but I left it alone, letting it doggy paddle to safety. I couldn't decide if I was hurt or annoyed. I wasn't angry anymore, just more confused than hell.

I couldn't see Hinami, but I could hear her. "I, um- Ayato-kun, could you bring the bag inside?" Her voice was hesitant, like she thought I might be gone already.

First the brat runs off on me, then expects me to carry in her damn _groceries? _Bullshit.

Lights flicked on inside the apartment, and then like clockwork, I was suddenly rolling my eyes and gripping the handles of the duffel to carry it in through the open door. Kicking it shut with the heel of my shoe, I groaned and hobbled down a short entryway.

Her apartment was just like I would expect it to be.

There were two overflowing bookshelves, some newer-looking novels and some old ones with raggedy spines. The walls were painted a light, creamy-colored orange, and a couch with matching chairs were centered around a dark coffee table. She was the kind of idiot girl that would know what kind of wood it was, probably. Shiny kitchen counters, looking freshly dusted, cluttered with stacks of papers but not dirty. A bowl of damn potpourri on the kitchen table.

And where a fridge should be, there sat... an enormous _cooler?_

She was nowhere in sight. Her boots she'd been wearing were lined up in the entryway, I'd seen them when I'd walked in. Clattering could be heard from behind a wooden door, which was assumedly the bathroom. When she came out her hair was in a loose ponytail, her hands and face were clean, and her jeans were rolled up a few inches. Coat off, feet bare, toes painted a light pink color, before she slipped on a pair of house slippers. She was all rosy cheeks and round eyes, which were avoiding my gaze as if it was the difference between life and death.

"Brought in your groceries," I joked, straight-faced and leaning down to pat the bag of body parts affectionately. She was silent. Her feet padded slowly across the floor to grab the handle of the duffel and used her body weight to drag the stubborn thing towards the not-so-subtle cooler I'd seen when I'd walked in. Her lips were pursed together neutrally. "Hinami."

"Yes?" She spoke after a moment or two, her voice quiet and rigid. I was silent, waiting for her to look at me.

She didn't.

"Look at me."

"No."

"So you're just going to ignore me?" I spat, irritated. "Who's the child now?"

"What do you expect me to say?"

I didn't answer. She lifted up the lid of the cooler, moving to unzip the duffel bag. Her hands were lifting out gory arms and furry legs, straining to pluck them out of the bag and place them along the bottom of the cooler. I leaned my hip against the counter and watched, a bit puzzled. She was struggling once she got to the man's torso, letting out girly little grunts as she attempted to lift it. I sighed, rolled my eyes, and helped her lift the thing back into the cooler. She whispered a thank you after it was safely inside, avoiding me yet again as she popped the lining out of the duffel bag and brought it over to her kitchen sink, rinsing the blood and gore off of it before washing her hands with soap and letting it hang across the counter to dry.

I shivered, staring at the still-open frost-lined lid of the cooler.

"Cooler's still open, idiot," I murmured, watching cold steam roll out of it in waves. She didn't speak, just trotted over to shut it. Her back was to me. I felt my brow twitch.

This whole silent treatment thing was getting on my last damn nerve.

In a rush of movement, my hands were on her shoulders. Her shoulders jumped, and the loud surprised gasp that shoved its way out of her mouth almost made me feel guilty.

Almost.

I turned her around, pressed my hands on both sides of her hips, and lifted her up to set her bottom on the top of the cooler with a hollow _thump. _Her legs were left dangling and her eyes were wide, concentrated on the floor.

If she wasn't going to look at me, then I would damn well make her. My tall frame stood inches from her legs, staring down at her with irritated dark blue eyes.

"Hinami, if you don't look at me..." I growled lowly, trailing off, choosing not to even finish my sentence. Her throat gulped, audibly. She blinked slowly before our eyes clicked together.

And then, bam, I could hardly blink, because her cheeks were bright red and her honey-colored eyes were scared and her full lips were lightly parted. My mind stopped doggy paddling, and exploded instead.

"Is it _that_ bad that I kissed you?" Suddenly, _I_ was the one that couldn't look her in the eye. My cheeks burned. She was quiet for a moment.

"N-no, I... I just..." I glanced at her, just briefly. She was fidgeting her hands, staring at her fingers. "I, um, liked it." Hinami's voice was soft and the apples of her cheeks were _impossibly_ darker. A silence settled between us, and my breaths were shallow.

"You're a pain in my ass."

And then I was shooting forward, pushing myself between her slightly-parted legs until my hip bones were resting against the cooler. My hands were on her face for the second time that night, holding her in place as I smashed my mouth to hers. One of her slippers hit the floor as she wrapped her legs around my waist and my hand travelled to the middle of her back, pushing her closer to me as one of her arms wrapped around my neck and the other buried itself in my messy hair. She smelled so good, I nearly groaned.

"I'm not cold," My mouth rubbed against her lips pointedly, as if to prove it. She hummed absent-mindedly, agreeing just to agree. "I'm not bitter, either." My lips were ghosting over hers as I spoke quietly, out of breath. She hummed again. "Or your damn grocery boy." And again. We were panting into each other's mouth.

And then it slowed down. I was taking her bottom lip in my mouth, slowly and gingerly, and we were taking turns. Helplessly making a quiet noise against her lips, I was palming at her ponytail, tugging at the band and letting her hair come loose before throwing it somewhere. It thumped against the tiles of the apartment, and she giggled quietly against my mouth, and I couldn't help but smirk.

I started rubbing and spreading my hand out against her t-shirt while the other was moving down to rest against the side of her neck. Her skin was soft and hair was tickling my forearm and I was picturing her pale skin as she ripped the limbs off of that cruddy dead guy earlier and- oh _christ._

"You're so stupid," Hinami broke apart to breathe this against my lips and I stared at her grinning face with half-lidded eyes.

My face felt warm, too warm.

"Oi, shut the hell up."

Jesus, I hated myself for thinking it, but right now, she was the prettiest damn headache I've ever had.

* * *

Wow this totally didn't take me like a day to write because I'm picky af and I tried really hard to keep pissy baby Ayato in character

But thank you for reading!

I'm honestly considering leaving the story off here... I don't know, tell me what you think, I like feedback


	5. Raw

We sat there on top of Hinami's stupid cooler and kissed a while. No tongue or anything, just smooth lips and hands in each other's hair and letting the irritation of that night iron the wrinkles out of us. I oddly wasn't feeling anything at all, like the simple act of taking her lips between my own was coating my nerves in bubble wrap. My hands were so aware that I wasn't hunting for food and that I wasn't getting in little spats about territory. For once, I was fighting with her, and it wasn't animalistic, and my mind couldn't decide if I liked that or not.

But, damn. Between every kiss, I would inhale, and her smell was everywhere. Orange blossoms and cinnamon and sweat and laundry detergent and skin. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as sinking my teeth through viscera, but... it was _nice._ She felt a lot warmer than someone I'd hunt down at night. And... God, for all the times that I'd snuck a peek at the blooming of her hips before, I would've never guessed she would feel so soft.

She made the girliest little mewling noise. Right as I was fisting her hair in my palm and in between my fingers, her stomach growled. Loud and long, like the crunching of fresh snow under a car tire.

And then I was releasing her and backing away, and her eyes were wide open again, and her lips had an aura of pink around them, and she had one slipper on, and her legs were now pressed together tightly, and her face had embarrassment written all over it. We both knew the moment was gone.

I stared at her bare foot as I spoke, her toes curling towards her sole.

"Eat something, moron."

My eyes were then glued to the floor, but there was a smirk on my face.

* * *

"Why the hell do you cook this shit?"

"Humans do it! Why can't I?"

I was currently leaning forward on my elbows, behind Hinami's countertop, watching as she scooted small strips of human flesh around a frying pan with a pair of stainless steel chopsticks. The meat was sizzling and popping in rice bran oil.

"Why cook flesh when you can just eat it _raw?" _I was licking my lips at the thought of raw muscle sliding against my tongue and down my throat: I couldn't think of a better feeling. She just smiled, humming a little as she turned the knob off on her gas stove and slid the steaming browned pieces onto a plate. I scowled when she slid it towards me.

"Try it."

"I'd rather eat my own kagune."

_"Ayato-kun."_ Her doe eyes were playful, glistening, and huge. I groaned.

My fingers squeezed a warm piece between my thumb and pointer, popping the flesh into my mouth. Her facial expression was doused in anticipation.

I blanched, forcing the meat down my throat in one gulp. My kakugan flicked into place, and neither of us were surprised. My lips flinched into a sour frown. Hinami watched, her shoulders shrinking as she pouted.

"I like it raw," I managed to get out after I swallowed it down.

"Hmph. Fine." She leaned across the counter with her chopsticks to pluck the cooked flesh from the plate, placing it on her tongue and chewing. Her kakugan replaced her downtrodden, pouting brown eyes. She became a little shy. "Stop staring."

"Can't help it," I grunted lowly, watching with repulsion. Her face turned a rosy shade of pink. My eyes couldn't help but watch her lips, her small chews so innocent in comparison to her kakugan.

And christ, her dark red irises made me want to sit her right back over on that cooler. She knew I was watching her. I couldn't help but think that for once in my life, I didn't want to be sitting alone watching shitty cable in my apartment or wearing a pair of gray sweatpants and dribbling 99 cent coffee onto my bare chest. The smell of that rice bran oil was growing on me a little, but I damn well wouldn't let her know.

Hinami managed to eat the entire plate, and then her eyes were back to that creamy brown color. She turned to rinse the plate off underneath the kitchen faucet.

I felt something squish under my sneaker. After lifting my foot up to see what it was, my face started to burn just a little bit.

"What?" She was grinning at my expression, crossing her arms and cocking her hip against the other side of the counter.

"Nothing," I scoffed, glaring at her.

I scooted the black hairband away from me with the sole of my shoe, letting it slide across the tile floor until it was out of sight.

She looked like an idiot with her hair up, anyway.

* * *

"Get your feet off my coffee table."

_"Screw off,_ I'm relaxing." I shot back, closing my eyes as I sunk down farther into the couch and crossed my arms across my chest.

"Hmph." Hinami sighed and I could feel her weight abruptly scoot up next to me.

My dark blue eyes shot open, air huffing out of my nose in irritation.

When I glared down at her, she had an impish grin. Not long after, she lifted her slipper-clad foot up and kicked my feet down off of the table, my sneakers hitting the floor with a loud _thud._

"Cut the shit, Hinami." It was a short second until my feet were perched on the coffee table again. "This couch is too comfy," I nearly moaned.

I leaned back, eyes closed and jaw relaxed.

"You look… _strange."_ Just by listening to her voice, I knew she was grinning.

"Oi, watch it." I grumbled.

"No, I mean, you're not scowling."

"Shame, ain't it?" I peeked at her through one tired lid, her light brown eyes were amused. The corner of my mouth quirked up just slightly. She scratched her head, her hair flopping around a little, and I caught a whiff of it. I liked the smell. It reminded me of when I was knuckles deep in it over on the cooler, and suddenly I felt warm.

"What the hell's going on right now?" I wondered aloud, knitting my brows together.

"You're falling asleep on my couch."

"No, that's not what I meant." I pictured me kissing her on the doorstep, and I pictured her slapping me, and I pictured when she wrapped her legs around my waist, and I pictured watching her cook shit, and I pictured sitting very close to her.

"What'd you mean, then?" Her voice was curious, and her lips were pursed as she watched me. I couldn't help but watch her right back.

"I really like to eat," I started, settling down further into the couch and picturing myself kneeled over fresh meat, seeing all of the red. My tongue ran across my bottom lip. "That's the only thing I like."

"Yeah?"

I nodded tiredly. "And kissin' you wasn't that bad, either."

She didn't reply, just laid the side of her head against my bicep, and her body heat was making my arm warm. It was just enough to make me fall asleep.

Christ, I needed one of these couches.

* * *

Thanks to those who reviewed, you definitely helped me with ideas

I like feedback or criticism, feel free to review


	6. Concussion

I woke with a start, my upper body jolting forward.

"_Hun!"_ A startled grunt pried itself from my throat. I felt the weight of a blanket that was draped over me. The room was dark, I couldn't see a damn thing, but I looked around to see what'd woken me.

Ah. I was still at Hinami's.

Her slippered foot was poking into my hip. Wiping a patch of sleepy drool from the corner of my mouth, my eyes followed unconsciously up the path of her body as she slept on her side. Her pale exposed ankle, to the cuff of her rolled up jeans, to the thickening of her thighs, to the curve of her ass, to the inch of midriff peeking out from under her jostled shirt, up and over the hillock of her tits. Knees just barely pulled up towards her chest, soft-looking hands clasped together and slightly hanging off the rim of the couch, ear rested against the opposite arm rest. Calm-expressioned face and long, slow breaths.

My hand reached up to scratch the back of my neck as I continued to look at her. Soon enough, I found my finger prodding forward to brush against the bump of her ankle, seeing through a haze of leftover drowsiness and dreamstate. The skin there was warm, and my fingertips started sliding back and forth across the risen bone.

Rolling my eyes, I stopped and gripped her foot, moving it out and away from jabbing into my thigh. She didn't stir.

I rose to my feet, tossing the blanket onto her legs haphazardly. My legs slowly wobbled to the kitchen to look for the illuminated clock on the microwave. The pixelated green numbers informed me that it was nearly two in the morning. My lip twitched.

Well, damn.

Should I leave? Is that what people do when this sort of thing happens? Hell, I don't know. She probably wouldn't want to wake up alone, that's what girls are like, right? Shit, how the hell would I know? All I knew was that I had to take a piss, and I didn't have a damn clue where the bathroom was.

Padding back over to the living room, I contemplated sitting back down on the couch. But as I watched Hinami lay there, I just decided to plop down onto the matching chair, tossing the stupid decorative pillow onto the floor and propping my feet up onto the coffee table. I didn't really feel tired anymore, so I ended up looking around the dark apartment. My eyes always went back to Hinami's sleeping body. Eventually, they just stayed there until they felt drowsy.

Watching her breasts rise and fall as she breathed, her eyelids twitch. I wondered if she was dreaming about flowers and coffee sugar and kittens in little pink baskets. She was dumb enough to imagine that shit, I guess.

Right. Bathroom.

Wandering around, I started opening doors. Door number one, her bedroom. Door number two, coat closet. Lucky door number three, the bathroom. Ah, finally.

I flicked the light switch and swung the door shut, unzipping my black pants and starting to empty my bladder into the toilet bowl. The flower-scented, pink-toilet-cozied toilet bowl. I didn't even bother rolling my eyes.

Zipping back up, I flushed and turned to the sink to wash and dry my hands. There was a lavender-colored soap dish with little damn cherry blossoms on it. Christ.

I walked back into the living room for the second time, eyes still adjusting from the fluorescent lights of the bathroom, and managed to jam the corner of the coffee table into my knee.

"_Shit!" _I cursed loudly as a book or two toppled over onto the floor.

"_Gaaaah!_" Hinami shouted, startled. "Who's there?"

And then her foot was colliding with my stomach, sending me groaning to the floor and hitting my head on the corner of the coffee table on the way down.

"_Tch," _I hissed, my temple throbbing. "What the fuck's wrong with you?!" My voice was roaring.

"Whaaa…?" She said dazedly, and when I finally looked up at her with my pulsing vision, she was standing over me and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

* * *

"I said I'm fine, alright?" I snapped, shoving her hand away lazily as she sat me down on her toilet seat.

"But you're bleeding."

"'Cause a _lunatic_ attacked me."

"I'm sorry." She spoke tiredly. An area of her hair flat from sleeping on her side, her clothes slightly out of place. "Let me get you a towel." She sniffed and rubbed her eyes before bending down to open the cupboard below the sink. I stared at the inch of exposed skin at her lower back as she dug around, coming back up with a dark washcloth. She turned on the faucet to dampen it and then padded back over to me.

Her fingers were gingerly lifting up my hair, searching for the wound. I was tired enough to let her clean most of the blood out of my hair. Her hands were relaxing, in a way. Focusing on a spot on the wall, thinking about how quiet Hinami was when she was sleeping on the couch.

And how strong she was when she was startled.

"You okay?"

"Huh?" I grunted, looking at her after a moment.

"Feeling alright?" Hinami stopped her motions, seemingly satisfied with her clean-up. My forehead felt damp from the washcloth. She stared at me hard.

"Yeah," I said, scratching my chin. "Just tired."

She nodded in agreement. Much to my surprise, she leaned in close to kiss the now-clean swollen bump on my head. My face turned an absurd shade of pink.

"Sorry, again," she mumbled, smiling at me sheepishly.

"S'fine, I shouldn't have gone to take a piss," I cracked, grinning at her a little. She swatted at my arm, pretty pink mouth agape.

"Shut up." Even with a dull ache in my temple, her lips looked good enough to eat. She was still standing and leaning towards me, I felt the closed lid of toilet under my ass. She was so _close. _I almost wanted to practically crack my head open a second time just to keep her there.

"I'm so tired," I said quietly, rubbing my eyes sloppily. "And maybe it's this damn headache, but I'm gonna' touch you."

Her expression contorted into one of intense confusion and hesitation. A small little smile, cocked eyebrow, pursed lips. "Maybe you should go lay down." She spoke slowly, as if I might lunge at her at any moment.

"Nah, just shut up for a minute." My arm raised until my hand was resting just under her jaw. Moving under her chin, I slid my thumb up to brush the pad of it back and forth across her lips. Then my other hand moved up to touch her cheek, sliding over the flushed and embarrassed skin there. "You're pretty soft." I admitted quietly, finger brushing over her brow. She gulped.

"Quit it now," she breathed nervously.

"Oi, you damn sure owe me this for interrupting my dinner," I deadpanned, sleepy eyes concentrated on her skin. Christ, it was nice.

Hinami stayed silent as I leaned closer and grazed my lips against hers. I hated to admit it, but the kiss was sweet. I had remnants of blood in my hair, she had a patch of dried drool on the corner of her mouth, but it was sweet. Lazy little swipes of her bottom lip between my own. It didn't take long for her shock to wear off, and then she was responding slowly, resting a hand on my shoulder gently as I pressed my palm under the shadow of her cheekbone. She felt so warm.

"I think you hit your head too hard," she broke apart for a moment to whisper this on my lips. "Maybe a concussion." I pressed my mouth to hers, lingering there.

"Shit." I whispered, ghosting against her lips. "Your fault."

* * *

When I fully woke up, I was in Hinami's bed, knotted up in a powder blue duvet. Streaks of sunlight forced themselves through the window's blinds, making pale glowing triangles on the closed bedroom door. I looked around through squinted eyes to see Hinami a few feet away, sitting in an uncomfortable kitchen chair as she propped her bare feet up onto the foot of the bed. She looked freshly showered and clean-clothed. There was a book in her hands.

"Morning, Ayato-kun," she mused, grinning over at me and resting her still-open book upside down on her lap. "You sleep okay?"

"No." My voice was deep and groggy. "You kept fucking waking me up." I frowned, smacking my dry tongue against the roof of my mouth.

"I had to. You probably have a concussion."

I groaned, pulled the duvet over my head, and inhaled.

Under the muffled sound of her quiet giggling, I could smell orange blossoms and cinnamon and sweat and laundry detergent and skin.

It gave me a headache.


End file.
